Apparatus for refrigerating and for manufacturing ice



April 14, E925.

W. F. JONES ET AL APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING AND FOR MANUFACTURING vICE Filed oct; 29, 1923 ff fw Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FFAULKES JONES, 0F LONDON AND ALAN MATHER- PENNINGTON, OF BURY, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR REFRIGERATING AND FOR MAN UFACTUBING ICE.

Application led October 29, 1923. Serial No. 671,519.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that we, WILLIAM FFAULKES JONES and ALAN MATHER PENNrNoroN, both subjects of the King of Great Britain. and residing in London. Englandq and Bury` England, respectively, have jointly invented a certain newl and useful Improved Apparatus `:for Refrigerating and for Manufacturing lee, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus tor refrigerating and for manufacturing ice` the apparatus being of the kind comprising a receptacle for the articles or substance to be cooled or iced, which receptacle is cooled by means of the expanding and evaporating action of a stream of carbonio acid gas or other gases, which ows from a supply c vlinder or reservoir and circulates through one or more helically or equivalently directed coils, ducts or passages arranged within the apparatus, which includes an enclosing cas- `ing formed with walls of an insulating character.

The invention consists in improvements having for their object to render apparatus of the above kind more eiiicient and more economical both in construction and operation.

A'characteristic feature of apparatus constructed according to the present invention is the provision of means whereby the gas flowing through the helical coils or ducts is made to 'ex and gradually. To this end the receptacle or the articles or substance to be cooled or iced is double walled having in the space between the walls a helically or e uivalently directed duct or coil through wliich the carbonio acid gas is circulated` the duct being so shapedv that the cross section of its internal passageway gradually increases in area in the direction of the length of the duct vfrom the inlet to the outlet thereof.

In order that the cooling effects in the upperV and lower or other zones within the receptacle to be cooled may be nearly equal or the same, and that the'disparity in cooling elects met with in corresponding zones of known apparatus may be obviated, the

duct may be so arranged that the gas Hows or circulates through the apparatus substantially from one end to the other end thereot,.and then returns within the apparatus to the firstend, the return fiow portions of the duct being interposed between or lalternating with lengths or parts of the first or flow portion of the duct.

With a View to forming a circulating duct at low cost, this may comprise two elements oi cast metal. One of the two elements would consist of a cylindrical plate having on one of its faces one or more heli-` cally or equivalently directed grooves, as the case may be, the cross section of each groove being of a rectangular or other desired shape and the cross sectional area gradually and successively increasing in the above-mentioned direction. The other or cooperating duct element would be a plain cylindrical sleeve shrunk-on or otherwise appropriately attached to the grooved face of the rst element. The grooved iow portion of a duct is arranged to communicate with or debouch into the grooved return- {iow portion ofthe duct. With the duct or coil device is associated a valvular attachment by means of which gas from a supply source can be admitted to the duct or ducts, and the duct is also furnished with an outlet attachment for the egress of the exhaust gas.

The duct or coil device formed as above may constitute the wall of the receptacle for the substance to be cooled or iced and may be placed centrally within an outer container surrounded by the insulating casing. The receptacle and container may be of such dimensions that an annular passage or chamber is formed between them for the reception of liquid or other substance to be cooled.

An apparatus ofthe kind referred to and constructed according .to the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. which is a vertical axial section. The invention will be further described with reference tothe-drawing.

The receptacle for the articles or substances to be cooled has, as stated above,

a double wall which contains a duct or coil through which the carbonio acid gas is circulated. The double wall comprises, as shown and described above, an outer cylindrical plate 1 and an inner cylindrical plate 2, which on its outer face has a helical groove 3 which commences near the upper edge of the plate and extends downwardly to and communicates with one end of an annular groove 4 formed on the plate 2 near its bottom edge. As thel groove 3 descends towards the annular groove 4 its cross, sectional area gradually increases. The groove 3 constitutes the flow portion of the duct, part of which is indicated on the drawing bybroken lines a, the direction of flow of gas being shown by arrows. The annular groove 4 at its other end communicates with an ascending helical groove 5, which, as it ascends, gradually increases in cross sectional area. The groove 5 constitutes the return flow portion of the duct, parts of which are indicated by chain and dot lines b.

The cylindrical duct device 1, 2 is closed at its lower end by means of a plate 6 which rests upon the bottom of a container 7 between which and theplate 1 is formed an annular chamber 8. The container 7 which may be provided with a lid or cover 27, is surrounded by an outer casing 9, space being 4preferably left between the two to c qntain insulating material 10. The upper end of the casing 9 and the members arranged therein are enclosed by a suitable cover 11.

The duct device 1, 2 at its upper part is provided with a gas inlet nozzle 12 and an outlet nozzle 13. To the nozzle 12 is fitted a valvular attachment, which may be either of a hand or a mechanically-operated description. The valvular attachment shown in the drawing comprises a hand-operated valve which permits o gas being admitted intermittently in bursts. The valve is preferably of the kind that can be rapidly operated in a manner to produce a maximum discharge with a small movement of the operating handle. The valve may conveniently be in the form of a conically pointed pin or spindle 14, co-operating with similarly shaped seating 15 in the valve casin 16, the spindle being provided with a set 0% appro'- priate screw threads 17 co-operating with threads on the valve casing. Gas would enter the casing 16 by means of the nozzle projection 18 and pass through the space 19 between the inner wall of the casing and the pin 14, through the passage 2O of the nozzle 12 and into the helical groove 2 when the valve 14 is set by means of a handle 21 in a position to allow the gas so to pass. On the outer end of the attachment 16 is fitted a gland or equivalent appliance 22 for preventing the escape of gas at the outer end of the spindle 14.

The gas circulating through the ducts 3, 4 and 5 passes through the outlet nozzle 13 into the interior of a hollow discharging member 23 and through a dischargey aperture 24 in the wall of that member, which is removably attached to the nozzle 13, and

may be arranged to serve as a silencing device for the escaping gas.

v The casing 9 is suitably shaped or notched at 25 and 26 in itsupper part to accommo-l date the valvular attachment 16 and the discharging member. v23. The faces of the notches may, if desired, be faced with metal or other protective strips 30.

The duct members 1 and 2 enclose a space 28 which constitutes the receptacle for the substances to be cooled. In the receptacle may be removably arranged a stirrer or mixer. A convenient form of stirrer is shown in the drawing and comprises a rotatablyA mounted and vertically disposed spindle 31 carrying a spiral blade 32 which, when the spindle is rotated, will act as the stirrer or mixer. If the outer diameter of the blade be about the. same as the internal diameter of the duct` member 2. the blade will also serve for scraping the inside wall yof that member.

When a stirrer is provided, the bottom plate 6 may be formed with a central projection 6 which would be shaped to serve as a bearing for the end. or the spindle 31. The spindle would extend through an aperture 11 in the cover 11 which is seated in the upper end of the `outer casing 9. The aperture 11 and the underside of the cover 11,

where it fits over -the cooling or inner receptacle 28. mav be faced with a metal or other suitable lining 29. The part of the spindle projecting upwardly above the top of the cover 11 would be provided with a crank handle 25 or other suitable means for rotating the spindle and its blade.

A compressor. which is not shown in the drawing` mav be interposed between the exhaust and admission nozzles or branches of the duct device 1. 2. and the gas circulated repeatedly through it. With this arrangement the admission valve would be of a me- .chanicallv operated character.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means we know of carrying the same into practical effect, we claim 1. In a refrigerating and ice manufacturing` apparatus of the kind herein referred to, a double-wallreceptacle having in the space between the walls a helcallv directed duct returning on itself, said duct having a passage-way `whose cross sectional area gradually increases in the direction of its length between the two ends thereof.

2. In a refrigerating and ice manufacturing apparatus of thev kind referred to, a receptacle or the. substance to be cooled hav- Leccese ing e douhle Wall comprising two cast metal successlvely increasing cross sectional area elements, one of which is a plain face tube between the two ends thereof.

and the other is a correspondingly shaped In testimony whereof We have signed our l0 tube attached to and in Qconcentric relation names to this specification.

' with the rst tube, said latter tube having on its fece adjacent to the first said tube a WILLIAM FFAULKES JONES. helicaly directed groove of gradually and ALAN MATHER PENNINGTON. 

